USA - Utah
Prices quoted correct as at June 2026
Home of the Mormon conquest, there is much more to Utah than some weird religious cult.
Utah, arguably, has the most stunning canyons in the entire USA.
Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon National Park is, by far the most stunning of the Utah canyons.Being pedantic it is actually a series of canyons and bowls, the most spectacular being Bryce Amphitheatre, full of rock spires called hoodoos.
A single 18 mile road passes through the canyon, reaching a height of 9,000 feet (2,743 m) at the highest point - indeed although in a desert region don't be surprised to see some snow in the higher reaches.
There are plenty of viewing points along the road, the most notable being Bryce Point, Inspiration Point, Sunset Point, and Sunrise Point, all of which offer stunning vistas.In the peak season (April - October) a shuttle service operates between the park entrance and the four main viewing points in an attempt to ease congestion.
There are two camp grounds in the park, one seasonal, the other year round.
Now comes the cruncher, the cost, It is $35.00 (£26.13) a car, $30.00 (£22.40) a motorcycle, plus $20 (£14.93) per head for US residents, but an extortionate additional $100.00 (£74.66) a head for overseas visitors.
Normally, my inclination would be to tell them where to stick their $100.00 a head charge but I would actually suggest this is one National Park where it's worth the money.
Duck Creek
Driving into or out of Utah on Highway 14, you will encounter Duck Creek, which is worth a stop, or even a short stay.It has a lake for water activities, when it's not too dried up in the height of summer, you could even go on a paddle steamer cruise.
In summer there are plenty of hikes available (just take plenty of water), in winter it's a winter sports resort.
The town itself has a lovely frontier feel to it.
Even if not stopping for a long stay it has some decent restaurants.
Virgin
The oddly named Virgin, is a small town (by European standards village), which is a popular stopping off point for visitors to the canyons.
It's what many would call a "one horse town", with a population of 670, the highest it's ever been. Founded in 1858, it's named after the Virgin river, on who's banks it sits.
The town featured in Michael Moore's 2002 film Bowling for Columbine because the town passed a law in 2000, requiring every homeowner to keep and maintain a firearm - so you could argue it's a wild west town in more ways than one.
Zion National Park
Zion National Park, encompassing some 232 squares, is one of the most diverse National Parks in the United States. Centred around the VIrgin River, the park has canyons, high plateaus and huge sandstone cliffs.The park has more than 1,000 species of plants ranging from tall, graceful cottonwoods growing along the river to towering pines and firs shading the higher elevations.
Prickly pears, cholla, and yucca are among Zion's desert-adapted plants. The hanging gardens support brilliantly-colored Zion shooting-stars, scarlet monkeyflowers, and Western and golden columbines.
The diverse flora also means a varied wildlife, with 78 species of mammals, 30 species of reptile and over 290 species of bird and one of the most spectacular sights is watching wild turkeys returning to roost at sunset - a sight I will remember the rest of my life.There are plenty of marked trails, varying in length and difficulty, so everyone is catered for
Prices for Zion National Park are the same as for Bryce Canyon. The park is amazing and if it's the only park you are planning to visit them the $100.00 excess may be worth it.
However if budgets are tight it may be questionable.
Tossing up between Bryce and here the Bryce wins in terms of stunning, breathtaking scenery. If you are more interested in more variable scenery and wildlife, then ZIon is probably the better choice.
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